The invention relates to methods and apparatus for determining offsets of a part that are interchangeably described at the two possible projections of depth over a 45 degree oblique and offset the dimensions for projection within and including 45 degrees. The extended edge, comprised of triangulations, the plane of a primitive structure based on primitives of corner vertex elements share a local coordinate axis that has X, Y planar offsets projected in relation to a view plane or larger proportion blocks of features projected in the axis of the view normal. Similarly, the apparent offset within the limit of a 45 degree oblique is projected on the appropriate local axis corresponding to the edge feature triangulation plane.
The invention has application in the fields of photogrammetry, machine vision, image processing, pattern recognition and CAD. CAD is relevant to the invention because by modeling in 3d a CAD system is overlayed on the method in accordance with the present invention to produce powerful modeling capabilities. CAD systems are points in space and the connection to the method of the present invention is that the points are block depth representations. This technology literally and directly connects traditional CAD to real 3d spatial component modeling.
Machine vision includes image processing and pattern recognition. One application is in the field of quality control. For example, the technology may be used compare manufactured parts to a standard. Other applications are in the field of security and surveillance. For example, the technology may be used to compare respective video streams to identify differences. Similarly, the technology may be used for face recognition. Because edges are surfaces, digital animation of recorded faces including movements is applicable to manufacturing process for detection of flawed parts and particularly where it is desired to provide a means for measuring rapidly changing dimensions on irregular shapes.
The technology also has application to entertainment systems that allow the players to step into the screen with the employment of simple digital cameras. The medical field includes many possible applications such as analysis x-rays, mammograms and magnetic resonance images. Similarly, the technology has application to fitting prosthetic limbs, hearing aids to ears and dentures to a patient's mouth.
The technology has application of wide variety of other fields including but not limited to sheet metal fabrication, custom auto quality control, HVAC, boat building, custom canvas work, designer fashion garments, architectural contracting, and cabinet making.
The prior art includes techniques utilizing lasers. For example, one such application is in the manufacturer of Boeing jet aircraft. The techniques are very effective; however, they require tremendous labor for set up and for maintaining Cartesian dimensions. In smaller shops everything is done by hand. Parts are fabricated and trimmed manually. In various manufacturing processes, lasers are used with limited success. Manual optic devices tend to be the norm. These are again made for maintaining rigid alignment. The L.S. Starrett Company of Athol, Mass. manufactures video measuring systems sometimes referred to as Galileo vision systems as well as optical measuring projectors. The systems depend on extremely stable and meticulously aligned components depending on the summation of dimensional deviations being based on single points in space. These machines measure to the limits of the effects of heat induced material expansion into tolerances as high as 1/10,000 inches. The Starrett Galileo Vision System (www.starrett.com/pages/362_video_measuring_systems.cfm) has formidable resolution but requires an intensive manual alignment procedure. Accordingly, limitations are placed on production speed and part size. The Starrett Optical Measuring Projections described at www.starrett.com/pages/691_optical_comparators.cfm. is a 2d measurement system and has similar qualities to the Galileo system without z detection. The web page shows no data point assimilation related to anything described in this technology. The Starrett system relies solely on direct mechanization to achieve measurement results.
A major problem with the prior art methods is that the step between design to rough cut material requires tremendous labor to manually finesse into parts that are formed to acceptable manufactured specifications. This is not an easy task because no method exists for directly comparing the design from a computer into the real 3d part dimensions. A particular problem exists in measuring edges. Further, the simple industries where computers cannot be of assistance vastly benefit from a base line of dimensions that would be gotten with a simple digital camera.
Java graphics language calls are in the prior art. Java affords degrees of freedom to points in space. Orientation is not accounted for in points. Coordinate systems are fixed at a predefined location. The inventor of the method and apparatus described herein is also the inventor of the method described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,649,079. An interesting parallel to Holmes U.S. Pat. No. 5,649,079, outside of the edge feature detection method, is that the surface grid in the patent shares symmetry with the projection of edge features in depth. The same symmetry provides the basis for generating the grid. Removing one triangle lets the remaining triangle be located in the digital display depth. Also by embedding a triangle in a block of space the stringent requirement for isosceles configurations is reduced. Outward projection in the spirit of Holmes U.S. Pat. No. 5,649,079 is still clear. The registration of image features to the volume solids and primitives of Holmes U.S. Pat. No. 5,497,451 correspond in sequence and pattern. However the use of these primitives to mitigate perspective and reversibly determine edge depth is a new concept that is a part of the present invention.
Java graphics language calls are described further at http://java.sun.com/developer/onlineTraining/java3d/j3d_tutorial_chl.pdf page 11 shows a virtual universe FIG. 1-2 First Scene Graph Example. View contains a physical body relative programming technique here. This technology fits in between the two because there is a space implied as shown in FIG. 9 with projections into the screen at a finite space in otherwise infinite Windows projection. The physical environment is the extension of the physical body to a new machine scale. The space behind the screen and the scaled new views are the concepts this technology utilizes.